Sealing means



` June 8, 1943? -L. s. FRYERv ETAL SEALING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 194] I (mor-151;

Patented June 8, 1943 "UNITED STATES 'PATENr orrlca S'EMAS Louis S. Fryer and Wayne J; Joki'lehto, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Industriakltayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application necember 9, 1941, serial-N0. 42z,23a,

(c1. ca -104) Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus of an improved type for supporting thread packages during processing; more particularly, apparatus for supporting such packages during the drying operations. As hereinafter employed, the

term thread is used in a generic sense: it is intended to embrace materials, whether of natural or synthetic origin, such as tapes, bands, singleor multiple-lament threads, cords and the like, notably those intended for weaving purposes. For convenience, the invention will be described hereinafter as employed in the manufacture of medium applied' simultaneously to the innermost and outermost layers of the package. This method gives rise to uneven shrinkages due to the fact that portions of the thread comprising the package are subjected to unequal tension induced by different rates of drying, depending vupon the proximity of the thread layers to the source of the drying medium. Various methods have been devised, but without signal success, in efforts to compensate for these factors.

' One process which has, however, been` found to vgive rise to thread of more nearly uniform characteristics is the so-called unl-directional system of drying, according to which the drying medium is introduced exclusively from one side of the package; for instance, from within the core of the package, wherefore the drying of the package proceeds layer by layer fromy the interior to the exterior thereof. In such operations, due to the fact that the package shrinks both axially and radially, it is extremely difficult to seal the ends of the package suiiiciently to prevent leakage of the drying medium from the interior of the package. Obviously, unless such fectively maintains a sealing action upon the ends of the package, thus preventing leakage of drying medium therefrom. The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described hereinafter as employed in the drying of thread wound in package form upon a flexible windingV surface. With minor modifications, the sealing device of the invention is equally well adapted to use with other types of thread packages.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the sealing device of the instant invention, such device being represented as having a portion cut away therefrom for the purpose of illustrating the relationship of the parts at the start of the drying operation. Figure 2 represents a vertical section through the apparatus in which the device is employed, the parts of the device being in the same relation as in Figure l. Figure 3 corresponds generally with Figure l with the exception that the parts of the sealing device are illustrated in the relationship which they assume toward the end of the drying operation. Figure '4 corresponds to Figure 2 except in that the showing of the sealing device is similar to that in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a plan with parts broken away of apparatus showing the application of the teachings of the invention to the drying of thread packages( on a commercial scale, while Figure 6 is'an elevation of the apparatus of Fig ure 5.

Referring first to Figures' and 6, it will be observed that the principle of operationof the apparatus as a whole is similar to that described in copending application Serial No. 339,668, led June 10, 1940, by Louis S. Fryer and Wayne J. Jokilehto (Patent 2,288,618). The present apparatus diiers from that of the aforementioned application principally in that the thread packages and their supporting spools are mounted in the spool compartment with their axes extending in mutually parallel vertical relation. In the earlier application, the spools are mounted with their axes in horizontal relation, thus making for a somewhat more complicated structure.

The apparatus as a whole includes, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a cabinet Ill which is mounted upon a suitable frame structure ll. Cabinet l0 comprises spool compartment I2, intake chamber i3 and exhaust chamber I4. Frame structure I I is provided with vertical members l 5 which, together with longitudi- .nally extending horizontal members I6 andcross members Il, support spool compartment l2 at such a height that the interior of the compartment is easily accessible to the operator. Intake chamber I3 and exhaust chamber I4 are supported between Vertical members I5 directly below spool compartment I2.

. Spool compartment I2 may be of any desired 5 size, but is preferably large enough to accommodate a number of thread packages corresponding to the number of ends on the spin machine upon which the thread packages -have been formed.

In this way, frequent opening and closing of spool compartment i2 for insertion and removal of thread packages is obviated. This feature is of particular importance for reasons which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the apparatus and its mode of operation.

Floor I8, front wall I9, rear wall 29, end Walls 22 and top 23 hinged to`rear wall 20, all of Which are preferably constructed of sheet metal painted or coated with some suitable corrosion-resisting material, make-up spool compartment I2. In one or both of the side walls, such, for example, as front wall I9, a window 24 heid in place by an air-tight frame 25 is mounted so that the operator may inspect' the interior of spool compart- 25 ment I2 without opening top 23. Suitable temperature recording means, pressure gages, etc. (not shown), may project through top 23 or front or end walls I9 and 22 respectively. as desired.

Top 23 is so constructed that, when closed, 30

secured to rear wall 20 not only permit the open- 40 ing of top 23 but operate to support it in opened position to make the interior of spool compartment 2l accessible lduring the insertion or removal of the thread packages.

In the apparatus illustrated in the drawings,

a fluid drying medium, such, for example, as heated dry air, is circulated through the interior of the various thread packages. 'Ihe drying medium is supplied to intake chamber I3 by branch duct 3l, which is connected by means of 5I) suitable feeder ducts to the discharge side of a blower (not shown). Exhaust chamber I4 is similarly connected by branch duct 32 and suitable auxiliary ducts to the suction side of the blower. conveniently take the form of the reheating and recirculatlng apparatus described in the abovementioned application Serial No. 339,668 (Patent 2,288,618).

Intake and exhaust chambers I3 and I4, re- 60 spectively, are coextensive with each other. and with spool compartment I2 but are separated from'oor I8 of the spool compartment by air space 33, this in order to prevent interchange of heat between said chambers and said spool compartment. In addition, both intake and exhaust chambers I3 and I4 are completely sheathed by insulating material 34 to guard against excessive loss of heat from the drying medium conducted therethrough. Division wall 30, which extends from end to end of intake and exhaust chambers I3 and I4, respectively, separates them from each other.

As indicated, it is desirable that the drying medium be passed into and withdrawn from the Man- 35 Reheating and recirculatlng means may 55 interior of each thread package in order that the package may be dried layer by layer, beginning with the innermost and proceeding toward the outermost layers thereof. This operation involves maintaining the atmosphere within spool compartment I2 as nearly static as possible: obviously, lcirculation of the air therein would tend to cause premature drying of the exterior of the thread packages. It is for this reason that it is so desirable to prevent the influx or efflux of air to or from spool compartment I2.

Within and mounted upon floor I8 of spool compartment I2 isla plurality of generally cylindrical spool mounting bases 35. The upwardly extending surface 36 of each such base 35 is tapered asshown in Figures 2 and 4 to accommodate a correspondingly. tapered end on thread package 31. tour required to form a contact surface with the end of the package.- Thus surface 36 may be square, stepped or curved to conform to the contour of the end of the thread package.

Base 35 below tapered surface36 is so formed as to provide a compression ring 39. adapted to accommodate one end of spool 38. Any suitable flexible winding surface may be employed in lieu of spool 38, which, for purposes of illustration. takes the form of the flexible spool described in copending application Serial No. 339,666, filed June 10, 1940, by Louis S. Fryer and Wayne J. Jokilehto. Shoulder 40 in base 35 serves as a stop against which the end of spool 38 rests upon its insertion in compression ring 39. The latter operates to compress one end of spool 38 away from the ,interior of thread package 31, thus permitting the tapered end of the thread package to rest against surface 36.

Annular portion 42 of base 35, which extends downward through an opening in floor I8 of spool compartment I2, communicates with metal collar 43 which registers with an opening 44 in the upper wall of intake chamber I3. Rubber gaskets 45- and 46 serve to prevent leakage between the several parts forming the connection with base 35.` Insulating material 41 insures against loss of heat therefrom. Thus the cylindrical opening in base 35 cooperates with collar 43 and opening 44 to form intake channel 49 through which heated drying medium is passed from intake chamber I3 to the innermost layers of thread package 31.

Disposed axially of intake channel 48 is a vertically positioned exhaust tube 49which is open .it its upper end. Tube 49 extends from spoc! compartment I2 through intake chamber I3 into exhaust chamber I4, `passing through division Wall 30. Tube 49 is held in its vertical position by means of horizontally disposed metal straps 5I soldered, welded or otherwise secured to the upper wall of intake chamber I3 as well as by a metal Washer 52 joined in similar fashion to division wall 30. A slight negative pressure in exhaust chamber I4 removes the spent drying medium by drawing it through the open upper end of tube 49.

Figures 5 and 6 show the completev assembly of the drying apparatus and demonstrate the steps involved in preparing the apparatus for operation. Position. A indicates spool mounting base 35 and exhaust tube 49 associated therewith as they appear prior to the insertion of thread package 31. At position B'spool 38 has been slipped over tube 49, one end of said spool being inserted in base 35: thread package 31 is shown in place; i. e., with one end thereof sup- Surface 36 may be given any conported by tapered surface 36 of said base 35. Position C illustrates the complete installation with cap 53, which represents a preferred em bodiment'of the sealing device of the present invention, in place on the upper end of spool 38 and package 31.

54 and oating ring 55 are conveniently made of f hard rubber, Bakelite, Micarta or the like.

Member 54 of cap 53 is characterized by a` blank outer face 51 on the under side of which is a cup-shaped depression hereinafter referred to as deflecting surface 58. Just below ydeflecting surface 58 is a, compression'ring 59 having a shoulder 60 which contacts the upper end of spool 38. Said compression ring '59 has its lower edge tapered slightly as at 6I so that the upper end of spool 38 may be more readily located therein. Compression ring 59 of member 54 cooperates with compression ring'39 of base 35 to compress flexible spool 38 away from the innermost layers of thread package 31.

spool to any desired ynumber of liquid processing treatments. Thereafter the thread package, together with spool 38, istransported to dryer apparatus of the type illustrated in Figures 5 and 6' of the drawings.

One end of spool 38 is then inserted in base in spool compartment I2, cap 53 being applied` to the other end of the spool. Compression ring 39 of base^35 cooperates with compression ring 59 of member 54 to compress spool 38 away from the innermost layers of thread package 31, thus forming a substantially cylindrical space 13 therebetween. The ends of thread package 31 are therefore supported independently of spool 38 by surfaces 36 and 69 of base 35 and floating ring 55, respectively. Cap 53 and base 35 effectively seal both ends ofv spool 38 and package 31 against escape of the drying medium from the interior thereof Y After all of the spools 38 and packages 31 are installed in spool compartment I2 of the drying apparatus, top 23 is closed .and clamped tightly in place by locking means 28.- Heated drying medium having a low humidity .passes under a Near face 51 of cap 53 a'circular groove 62 -is cut into the outer wall of member 54 to accommodate the reinforced bead 63 of rubber diaphragxn 56. Adjacent to groove 62 isan annular rib 64 extending outwardly from` member 54. Rib 64 serves a two-fold purpose; namely, .it acts as a stop against which the upper end of floating ring 55 abuts when cap 53 is compressed as shown in Figure 1 and it serves to prevent rubber diaphragm 56 from interfering with the freedom of action of floating ring 55 by clinging to the outer Wall of member 54.

Disposed internally of oating ring 55 is shoulder 65 which engages the lowermost edge of member 54, said shoulder cooperating with rib 64 to act as a stop when cap 53 is compressed. Cylindrical portion 66 of floating ring 55 istelescopically mounted with respect to the lowermost portion of member 54; however, sulcient clearance is provided between the two surfaces so that they are freely slidable, thus permitting free and unhampered movement of floating ring 55.- Floating ringv 55 may, therefore, move freely in a vertical direction as may be required to maintain contact with the ends of thread package 31.

Floating ring 55 is provided with a circular groove 61 in the'outer wall of cylindrical portion 66 for the reception of reinforced bead 68 of rubber diaphragm 56. The lowermost portion thereof has a surface 65 similar to tapered surface 36 of base 35 but reversed so as to contact the other end of thread package 31. With the thread package in place, surface 69 of cap 53 cooperates with surface 36 of base 35 to support thread package 31 out of contact with spool 38,

thus permitting shrinkage of the package to take place both axially and radially.

Spoolv 38 is preferably flexible, having a peripheryfcharacterized by a plurality of corrugations` made up of grooves 1I and ridges 12. Thread package 31 is built up in the usual way upon the periphery of spool 38, after which the package is subjected While still in place on the slight pressure from intake chamber I3 through each intake channel 48 upward along the grooves 1I and ridges 12 of spool 38 intospace 13-between the outer periphery of said spool and the innermost layers -of its associated thread package 31, all as indicated generally by the arrows. It will be seen that-a constant ilow of drying medium passes over the inner layers of thread package The drying medium with its associated content of moisture from the thread continues ito pass ing into contact with the periphery of spool 38. As package 31 shrinks longitudinally, surface 69 of floating ring 55, which is suspended from member 54 of cap 53 by means of flexible rubber diaphragm 56, descends to maintain contact with the end of the package. Thread package 31 is represented in Figure 4 as reduced in size by shrinkage occurring in the manner above described.Y

Since the drying medium is introduced andv removed from the interior of thread package 31, little or none of the drying medium can escape into spool compartment I2. Therefore the air within spool compartment l2 will be substantial.. ly static, permitting the outer layers of thread package 31 to remain moist until the drying operation has proceeded layer by layer from the interior to the exterior of the package. Inasmuch as the thread packages are wet when placed in spool compartment I2, the atmosphere therein will normally be verylhumid, a factor which aids in maintaining the outer layers of the thread package moist until the dryingoperation has .proceededI substantially to completion.

Cap 53 vhas been found to fulll satisfactorily all of the requirements of a sealing device in apparatus of the character described. Among other things, it prevents escape of drying medium into spool compartment l2. thus insuring against premature drying of the outer layers of the thread packages; it directs the drying medium from the intake into the exhaust means; it cooperates with base I5 to compress spool 3l uniformly away from the interior oi' thread package 31; and nally it provides means to contact and support thread package 31 constantly throughout the drying operation. Modiilcations may of course be made in the design and structure of the device withoutdeparting from the inventive concept.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty reside in the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. Demountable means for processing thread or the like wound in the form of a thread body upon a member having a ilexible winding surface comprising cover means adapted to be applied to one end of said flexible winding surface in ilxed relation thereto for the duration of the processing operations for compressing at least a pora shoulder portion havng a surface the contour of which corresponds to that of the end of the thread body to provide fluid-tight contact for preventing leakage of processing medium between said telescopically mounted means and said thread body.

3. Demountable means for processing thread or the like wound in the form o f a thread body upon a member having a flexible winding surface comprising cover means adapted to be applied to one end of said flexible winding surface in ilxed relation thereto for the duration of the processing operations for compressing at least a portion of the external periphery of the flexible winding surface to a diameter less than the internal diameter ofy the thread body wound thereon; an annular member telescopically mounted with respect to said cover means for maintaining constant fluid-tight contact with an end of the thread body, said annular member having an internal diameter larger than the reduced diameter of the compressed flexible Winding surface and being slidable axially thereof; and an imperforate flexible member joining said cover means and said annular member to permit freevdom of movement of said annular member With respect tosaid cover means and to prevent the escape of processing medium therebetween.

4. Demountable means for drying thread or the like wound in the form of a thread body upon a flexible spool comprising a cover portion into which one end of the spool is inserted for compressing at least part of the periphery of said spool away from the innermost layers of thel thread body; an annular member telescopically being so constructed and-arranged that it encompasses the compressed spool and slides axially thereof; a shoulder portion on said annular member having a contour which corresponds to that of the end` of the thread body to maintain uidtight contact therewith; and an imperforate ilexible member joining said cover portion and said annular member to permit the latter to move ,freely with respect to the former and to'prevent the escape of processing medium therebetween. 5. Demountable means for sealing the end of a thread body while it is subjected to processing treatment comprising a generally cylindrical member closed at one end thereof ior'closing the hollow interior of said thread body; a substantially annular member having a face adapted to conatact an end of the thread body, said cylindrical member and said annular member being telescopically mounted with respect to each other; and a substantially impervious exible means secured to said cylindrical member and said annular member for preventing the escape of processing medium therebetween and permitting limited relative movement between said cylindrical member and said annular member.

6. Demountable means for sealing the end of y a thread body while 'it is subjected to processing treatment comprising cover means which has the form of an inverted cup; a substantially annular member telescopically mounted with respect to Isaid cover means, said annular member having a face adapted to contact an end of the thread body; and a substantially impervious flexible diaphragm secured to said cover means and annular member for preventing the escape of processing .medium therebetween and permitting limited relative movement between said cover means mounted with respect to said cover portion and and said annular member.

'1. Demountable means for sealing the end of a thread body while it is subjected to processing treatment comprising cover means for closing the hollow interior of said thread body; a substantially annular member telescopically mounted with respect to said cover means being provided on one face thereof with a shoulder portion for contacting an end of the thread body; and a substa'ntially impervious flexible diaphragm secured to said cover means and said annular member for preventing the escape of processing medium therebetween and permitting limited relative movement between said cover means a'nd said annular member. y

8. Demountable means for sealing the end of a thread body while it Ais subjected to processing treatment comprising cover means for closing the hollow interior of said thread body; a substantially annular member telescopically mounted with respect to said cover means, said annular member having a shoulder portion on the face thereof which is opposite to that adjacent the cover means for contacting one end of the thread body; and a substantially impervious flexible diaphragm secured to said cover means and said annular member for preventing the escape of processing medium therebetween and permitting limited relative movement between said cover means and said annular member.

9. Demountable meansfor sealing the end of a thread body Wound upon a core while said thread body is subjected to processing treatment comprising cover means for closing the hollow interior of said thread body and contacting the core; a substantially annular member telescopically mounted with respect to said cover means; a shoulder portion on one face of said annular member forcontacting the end of the thread body adjacent to that end or the core which is contacted by the cover means; and a. substantially impervious exible diaphragm secured to said` cover means and said annular member for preventing the escape of processing medium` therebetween and permitting limited movement of said annular member with respect to said cover means. n

10. Demountable means for sealing the end of a thread body wound upon a core thread body is subjected to processing treatment comprising. a generally cylindrical member closed at one end thereof for closing the hollow interior while said A Gil 10 ofsaid annulus with respect to said` cylindrical member.

LOUIS S. FRYER. WAYNE J. JOKILEHT.

in freely slidable` 

